فريق إيران يقلل من شأن الاحتجاجات: نحن لسنا سياسيين

LOS ANGELES -- Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei and forward Mehdi Taremi said they would be playing for all Iranians at the FIFA World Cup , as the prospect of protests looms ahead of their opening game against New Zealand on Monday.

Iran's squad touched down in Los Angeles on Sunday for the first of three Group G games that are to be staged in the United States . Monday's meeting with the Kiwis is set to be followed by an encounter with Belgium also in Los Angeles on June 21, then a clash with Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

Monday's match will take place against a backdrop of a conflict that began in…